Intelligent policy server system and method for bandwidth control in an ATM network

Abstract

An intelligent policy server system and method for providing multiple service features and for controlling bandwidth usage in an ATM network. Profile arrays are provided which define feature authorizations and provisioning for subscribers and Customer Logical Ports served by edge switches. Depending on triggers associated with a signaling message received in an edge switch, a particular feature is invoked and executed by a policy server.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system comprising:
 a memory device; and 
 a processor device to:
 store, in the memory, information regarding a plurality of subscribers that are associated with a packet-switched network,
 the information regarding the plurality of subscribers including:
 a network address associated with a particular subscriber of the plurality of subscribers, 
 information identifying a Customer Logical Port (CLP) associated with the particular subscriber, 
 information identifying a forward overbooking factor associated with the CLP, and 
 information identifying a reverse overbooking factor associated with the CLP, and 
 
 
 handle a communication associated with the particular subscriber based on at least one of the forward overbooking factor or the reverse overbooking factor. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 ,
 where the information regarding the plurality of subscribers further includes information regarding a particular feature for the particular subscriber, 
 where the particular feature for the subscriber includes one or more of:
 a source address validation feature associated with the particular subscriber, 
 a maximum call attempt rate limit feature associated with the particular subscriber, 
 a destination address screening feature associated with the particular subscriber, 
 a source address screening feature associated with the particular subscriber, 
 a maximum burst size limit feature associated with the particular subscriber, 
 an aggregate bandwidth limit feature associated with the particular subscriber, 
 a service class selection feature associated with the particular subscriber, or 
 a maximum concurrent call limit feature associated with the particular subscriber, and 
 
 where handling the communication is further based on the particular feature. 
 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , where the processor device, when handling the communication associated with the particular subscriber, is further to:
 establish one or more connections, via the packet-switched network, based on at least one of the forward overbooking factor or the reverse overbooking factor. 
 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , where the processor device is further to:
 receive a signaling message related to the communication associated with the particular subscriber, and 
 evaluate at least one of the forward overbooking factor or the reverse overbooking factor based on receiving the signaling message. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4 , where the signaling message includes at least one of:
 a Connect message, 
 an Add Party message, 
 a Release message, or 
 a Setup message. 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , where the processor device, when handling the communication associated with the particular subscriber, is further to:
 determine whether the network address associated with the particular subscriber is within a particular range of network addresses, and 
 handle the communication associated with the particular subscriber further based on whether the network address associated with the particular subscriber is within the particular range of network addresses. 
 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , where the processor device, when handling the communication associated with the particular subscriber, is further to:
 identify a requested class of service for the communication associated with the particular subscriber, 
 determine whether the requested class of service is permitted for the CLP associated with the particular subscriber, and 
 handle the communication associated with the particular subscriber further based on whether the requested class of service is permitted for the CLP associated with the particular subscriber. 
 
     
     
       8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium to store instructions, the instructions comprising:
 one or more instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, cause the processor to:
 determine information associated with a subscriber of a packet-switched network,
 the information identifying:
 a network address associated with the subscriber, 
 a Customer Logical Port (CLP) associated with the subscriber, 
 information identifying a forward overbooking factor associated with the CLP, and 
 information identifying a reverse overbooking factor associated with the CLP, 
 
 
 receive a request to establish a communication associated with the subscriber, and 
 establish, based on receiving the request, one or more connections for the communication,
 the one or more connections being established in the packet-switched network based on at least one of the forward overbooking factor or the reverse overbooking factor. 
 
 
 
     
     
       9. The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 ,
 where the information associated with the subscriber further includes information regarding a particular feature for the subscriber, and 
 where the particular feature includes one or more of:
 a source address validation feature associated with the subscriber, 
 a maximum call attempt rate limit feature associated with the subscriber, 
 a destination address screening feature associated with the subscriber, 
 a source address screening feature associated with the subscriber, 
 a maximum burst size limit feature associated with the subscriber, 
 an aggregate bandwidth limit feature associated with the subscriber, 
 a service class selection feature associated with the subscriber, or 
 a maximum concurrent call limit feature associated with the subscriber. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , where the request includes a signaling message related to the communication. 
     
     
       11. The computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , where the signaling message includes at least one of:
 a Connect message, 
 an Add Party message, 
 a Release message, or 
 a Setup message. 
 
     
     
       12. The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , where the instructions further include:
 one or more instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 evaluate a particular policy feature with respect to the communication,
 the one or more connections being established further based on determining that the communication complies with the particular policy feature. 
 
 
 
     
     
       13. The computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , where the one or more instructions to evaluate the particular policy feature with respect to the communication include:
 one or more instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 determine whether the network address associated with the subscriber is within a particular range of network addresses,
 the one or more connections being established further based on determining that the network address associated with the subscriber is within the particular range of network addresses. 
 
 
 
     
     
       14. The computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , where the one or more instructions to evaluate the at least one policy feature with respect to the communication include:
 one or more instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 identify a requested class of service for the communication, and 
 determine whether the requested class of service is permitted for the CLP,
 the one or more connections being established further based on the requested class of service being permitted for the CLP. 
 
 
 
     
     
       15. A method comprising:
 determining, by a processor, information regarding a subscriber associated with a packet-switched network,
 the information identifying:
 a network address associated with the subscriber, 
 a Customer Logical Port (CLP) associated with the subscriber, 
 information identifying a forward overbooking factor associated with the CLP, and 
 information identifying a reverse overbooking factor associated with the CLP, 
 
 
 receiving, by the processor, a request to establish a communication associated with the subscriber; and 
 establishing, by the processor, one or more connections for the communication in the packet-switched network based on at least one of the forward overbooking factor or the reverse overbooking factor. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 ,
 where the information regarding the subscriber further includes information regarding a particular feature for the subscriber, and 
 where the particular feature includes one or more of:
 a source address validation feature associated with the subscriber, 
 a maximum call attempt rate limit feature associated with the subscriber, 
 a destination address screening feature associated with the subscriber, 
 a source address screening feature associated with the subscriber, 
 a maximum burst size limit feature associated with the subscriber, 
 an aggregate bandwidth limit feature associated with the subscriber, 
 a service class selection feature associated with the subscriber, or 
 a maximum concurrent call limit feature associated with the subscriber. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , where the request includes at least one of:
 a Connect message, 
 an Add Party message, 
 a Release message, or 
 a Setup message. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 evaluating a particular policy feature with respect to the request,
 the one or more connections being established further based on evaluating the particular policy feature with respect to the request. 
 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , where evaluating the particular policy feature with respect to the request includes:
 determining whether the network address associated with the subscriber is within a particular range of network addresses,
 the one or more connections being established further based on determining that the network address associated with the subscriber is within the particular range of network addresses. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15 , where establishing the one or more connections includes:
 determining a class of service that is permitted for the CLP; and 
 establishing the one or more connections further based on the class of service.